Research from Talent Board reveals that text messaging is one of the most effective methods to reach candidates. If you frequently send recruiting texts to candidates, it's important to monitor their performance. Have you checked your delivery rate and ensured that your texts aren't being blocked by carriers?
With the increasing focus on privacy and the rise of spam and unwanted messages, it's crucial for recruiters to ensure their recruiting texts don't get blocked or marked as spam.
In this blog post, we'll explore 6 tried and tested best practices to prevent your recruiting texts from being blocked.
Before you even start crafting recruiting texts, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the SMS compliance rules to ensure you're abiding by the regulations set forth by the relevant authorities. Three key guidelines to be aware of are:
a) FCC (Federal Communications Commission): The FCC enforces rules related to text messaging and telemarketing practices. Staying compliant with their regulations helps avoid potential legal issues.
b) NANP (North American Numbering Plan): Adhering to the NANP ensures that your text messages are sent using legitimate phone numbers and aren't flagged as spam due to their origin.
c) 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code): US mobile carriers have introduced 10DLC, a 10-digit messaging standard to combat spam. Brands must register as trusted senders with The Campaign Registry to use text messaging for recruitment and ensure successful delivery rates.
Before sending a recruiting text message, make sure you have obtained explicit consent from the recipients. This not only helps you comply with regulations like the FCC's rules on unsolicited messages but also ensures that your messages are more likely to be welcomed and not blocked by the recipients themselves. Explicit consent can be obtained through opt-ins on your website, during the application process, or through other transparent means.
Certain words and phrases are red flags for spam filters and can quickly lead to your recruiting texts being blocked or marked as spam. To prevent this, avoid using trigger words such as those associated with:
SHAFT
SHAFT stands for Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco. These topics are sensitive and may trigger spam filters due to their potentially offensive or harmful nature.
Drugs
Whether legal or illegal, discussions about drugs can also lead to your messages being flagged.
Predatory Lending
Avoid any content that might be interpreted as predatory lending practices.
Debt Consolidation
Similar to predatory lending, discussions about financial services should be approached carefully.
Although recruitment messaging seldom violates the 'SHAFT' categories, there may be some false positives for messages with words that could be misunderstood as predatory lending or debt consolidation. These messages may contain language similar to recruiting and staffing, which can trigger filters designed to reduce spam and unwanted communication. The filters are based on algorithms and may temporarily block all messages on the number, so it's crucial to address any false positives promptly.
Long URLs can not only look messy but can also raise suspicion in recipients, potentially leading to your message being flagged as spam. To prevent this, use short links when including URLs in your recruiting texts.
We advise against using services such as Tiny URL and Bitly as spammers often use them, and carriers cannot distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate links. Sense customers make use of the Sense shortener links, which are more likely to be successful without any filtering risks.
While emojis and special characters can add a personal touch to your recruiting texts, excessive use of these elements might trigger spam filters. To prevent your messages from being marked as spam, limit the use of emojis and special characters, and make sure they are contextually relevant.
Recruiting texts should have a clear purpose and a singular call to action. Multiple CTAs can confuse recipients and multiple links may make your messages seem like spam. By focusing on one specific action you want the recipient to take, such as clicking a link to view a job posting or replying with a specific keyword, you increase the likelihood of your message being well-received and acted upon.
Mass texting doesn't have to mean generic communication. Personalization is key to making your recruiting texts stand out. Address recipients by their names, reference their skills or qualifications, and tailor your message to their potential fit within the company.
Mass texts or broadcast texts are treated differently than 1:1 texting and are subject to stricter filtering. Adding personalization to broadcast messages can help reduce the risk of filtering.
With these best practices, you can minimize the chances of your messages being blocked or marked as spam, while also improving your chances of connecting with potential candidates in a meaningful way.
AI can assist in avoiding carrier filtering for recruiting texts by optimizing message content, language, and personalization. In fact, Sense’s newly launched generative AI capabilities help you create high-converting texts and even give you a warning when a text is likely to be filtered before it’s sent!
We have compiled the most comprehensive resource to help talent acquisition teams maximize their candidate texting strategy with additional tips. Check out our ebook “Texting for Talent: How Text Messaging is Transforming Candidate Engagement
